ABABYSEAN WOW! That photo is amazing! What camera do you have/settings did you use? BTW, I never bitched and complained about the advice just when everyone assumed I was deliberately ignoring their advice.
And there we have the root of your problem. The camera and settings are irrelevant. Unless you are going to shoot the same child, at the same time, with identical light, it matters not a whit what settings she used. If I may, step back from the forums as a learning tool, and head down to your local library and take out every book of photography fundamentals you can. It doesn't matter if they're old books dealing with film, none of the theory has changed. Read, and re-read them. When you have
specific questions, post them here. While you're reading, practice - A LOT! Post one or two images for critique, noting what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of them when you post.
I don't mind posting the settings. I think they are relevant. and should be posted with every.single.photo that a poster is asking for. Because then you could get the person to LOOK AT THEIR CHOICES and do a bit of self CC first!
This photo was taken with my D90. I used an 85mm 1.4 lens. ISO800 1/200 F2.2
Why did I choose this? It was getting dark, we were in the shade. I am really bad with camera shake, and my kid moves fast. So I know I wanted as fast of shutter as I could, so I choose to up my ISO in order to keep the shutter at 200. F2.2 because I was really trying for just an eyelash shot. I am standing pretty much directly above her and directed her to look up and then close her eyes. It was a game so I had to be quick... Again, not the most perfect shot EVER but if you look at the first one I posted 1.5 years ago that I was OVER>THE>MOON with (mommy googles anyone?) but I learned, and have tons more, to read between the lines here on TPF, yes, the board is a bit more aggressive then many others, but for some that is the best way to learn. Seriously ignore the personal attacks. They are pointless. don't worry about defending your choices, but instead take a look at your settings and then ask yourself why did you choose those? What do you like, not like, about the picture.... and go from there...
But if you are just spraying and praying, taking 1000 photos a day, and hoping to get one or two good ones... not understanding what you are doing right or doing wrong, what is the point.
So. Go do a little exercise right now, take a toy, set it on the table.
Take your camera and attach your flash, and take a pic like you did with your daughter..... do what you did, but on the toy...
THEN....... do this
rotate the flash to fire behind you (be in the vicinity of a wall, who cares what color it is for now...) up at about a 75 degree angle.... use F4, ISO 400, and 1/40th of a second.
now compare the two photos. post them here. say what looks good/bad about each and explain why they are different....